Didn't write today (Hey! It's still early. Kind of.)

Finished most of my research for the J&L short story which made me think of another story idea, though naturally without an end. Geez, that gets old. My brain just has the worst time figuring out endings! But I think I've got a title this time around, a real title even!

Gained another rejection last night. No worries. It was another nice one. Haven't sent that story back out yet. It's home doing laundry as I type this. A big load of mismatched socks I think. Might take days.

Meanwhile, I've still got a few stories out there; one overseas for an anthology that I haven't heard a peep on since last October (a very reputable author told me keep writing and not to worry or query until it hits the one year mark), a couple are in slush piles (I hope), and a couple are getting the eyeball treatment by some more reputable authors.

Come November, I'm attending OryCon 30 in Portland, Oregon (I'm running the late night Open Read & Critiques actually, like last year). A couple of weeks ago I committed to attend next February's RadCon 5a in Pasco, Wa (Go RadCon!), am still toying with attending RustyCon in January (the weather and expenses at the time will be a factor for me), and this morning I confirmed my attendance and booked a cabin at Rainforest Writers Village put on by tbclone47 up at Lake Quinault next March.

After that, I'm probably going to have to lay low for a while to recharge my energy and restock the wallet. But still, Rainforest Writers! Sure, it's not Viable Paradise, or Odyssey, or Clarion West even but it's a start and I feel, the next logical step for me at my stage of writing.

Rainforest Writers Retreat sounds low-key (please let it be low-key) and productive. Doesn't sound scary like VP, O, and Clarion sounds (to me anyway) and I can just afford it. Now all I have to do is not freak myself out over going between now and next March. Yes, I can do goofy things like that sometimes.

And finally, since I'm here under the microscope, I'm afraid that sometime soon, for my own sanity, I'm going to have to come to terms with what genre I'm writing and want to continue to learn to write. I still balk at anyone saying I write fantasy (That's flying unicorns and talking dolphins writing! Or is it talking unicorns and flying dolphins? I get those mixed up.). I still haven't given myself permission to write true horror, other than one or two short stories, and might never, and I've never been a SF nut (Okay, so I loved "2001, A Space Odyssey," after the third time. Does that count?). Looks like I've got several months of pondering to do and most of the summer left to do it in.

YAWT is up to 1300 words. I gots me some heavy thinking to do in order to tie up the loose ends. In a perfect world an ending will find it's way in there somewhere too. I really like the story so far. It's fun.

Saturday looks to be a perfect world here in my smidgen of the Pacific Northwest. In preparation for such, tomorrow will be all about heavy manual labor. Because I missed the boat on ordering bark mulch for this warm, dry weekend thanks to everyone and their mother doing just that thus allowing the only time left for delivery around 10 P.M Sunday evening (I kid, but just barely), I'll be using Friday to finish laying retaining wall block along the east and west side of our back yard. That will completely finish the project I started two years ago.

I've got a pallet of gray block coming, 126 blocks to be exact at 41 pounds each, plus half a pallet of cobblestone block, 113 blocks at 25 pounds each. You math-heads can work it out on how much I'll be lifting out of the front driveway, carrying down cement steps, and lugging between fifty and eighty feet into pre-position spots.

It'll be just like back when I used to lift weight for fun. Miss those arm muscles.

If the block gets here in early enough like they assured me would happen but frankly, I know better, and I get all the block moved out of the driveway and into the back yard quickly enough (so neighbor kids don't steal them), I then get to dig out the spots each block will rest in. That part is relatively easy and I don't mind doing it. But then there's the mini patio I'll be digging out and laying the cobblestone for so the trashcans and yard debris bin will stop sinking and we can finally keep our feet out of the mud. I'm really looking forward to that part...when it's finished. Ugh. Who likes to dig out wet clay-ish mud? At least I've got a place to dump the muck.

Finally, after I die or at the very least, shower and lie in bed wondering if Cirque du Soliel will hire me now that my arms will have stretched a few extra inches in length (that's got to be good for something, right?), Saturday when it's supposed to be 76 degrees F. and dry, I'll plant those red geraniums I finally got. And the Basket of Gold and a couple dwarf Pteris and another Rock Cress. I've got three landscape roses and a white flowering shrub I love but don't know the name of to move too, a three-foot potted lilac, a tall, orange-colored grass, and two nine-year old pots of tiger lilies to plant as well as a hanging basket to create.

Only then will I truly be ready to bark mulch the entire place.

But that will have to wait until the next dry weekend because not only will my arms and back need a break, I have YAWT and Working Title to finish. In the meantime, c'mon subconscious. I'll keep a pen and note pad handy. Get cracking on those story endings, 'k?

Accomplishments this week:

- Got a story in the mail for 1st quarter '08 WotF contest.

- Spent seven hours rewriting the story I read at OryCon's ORC.

- Spent two hours later rewriting two different versions of same story per several ORC suggestions.

- Spent another two hours rewriting yet again after another critique amid much gnashing of teeth.

- Read first short story in a Fantasy and Horror anthology and am still confusing. Wondering how and why.

- Decided to let others do the writing for a while.

Things probably not worth pondering for any length:

- Inconsistencies.

- Hows and whys.

- Being in the right place at the right time opposed to not.